More from Football

Manchester City defender Kolo Toure happy and hoping to stay

Kolo Toure would welcome the opportunity to prolong his association with Premier League champions Manchester City.

Last Updated: 19/12/12 8:11am

The experienced defender was among the first to join the Etihad Stadium revolution in the wake of Sheikh Mansour's successful takeover.

He has now spent three-and-a-half years with City, with the first of those spent as club captain.

Toure has endured a tough time of late, with a six-month ban for a failed drug test seeing him drop out of the team and out of favour.

It has been suggested that the 31-year-old would be allowed to move on in January if a suitable offer was tabled, with his current contract set to expire at the end of the season.

Toure, though, claims he would be delighted to open extension talks, with there no desire on his part to make a fresh start elsewhere.

The former Arsenal centre-back told Sky Sports: "I like it in England. I have been here for all my career and it's great to play in England. I really enjoy it, that is why I brought my brother (Yaya) here!

"There are challenges coming and there are changes in life, and I will deal with that if it happened. I wish to stay, but you never know."

Support

Toure feels as though he owes City for standing by him during his doping ban, with the club having never wavered in their support.

He added: "The club has been here for me. Even through my tough time, everyone was behind me - the people and the staff at the club, everybody, the chairman, everybody.

"To have this support is great and that is why it would be much more difficult to leave."